The Sun. — London, England, 1864-05-10 00:00:00

liiPERIAL PARLIAMENT HOUSE OF LORDS—Last Evening, The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at five o'clock. THE DAN 0-GERMAN WAR—A SUSPENSION OF ARMS AGREED TO, The Earl of CARNARVON stated that when he gave notice that he would this evening draw attention to the Danish Question, he anticipated that the Conference was practically at an end. He now wadersto d that an armistice had been agreed upon, the terms of which had been ac• cepted by Lord Palmerston as satisfactory. If that was true ha would withdraw his notice for this evening. The noble earl then asked the noble earl, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, if he could state what had really been agreed upon. Earl RUSSELL said that the Conference to-day had agreed to the suspension of hostilities between Austria and Prussia on the one side, and Denmark on the other. Tho terms upon which this was done was that each party was to preserve ita OWR positions bath by sea and land, and the blockade to be raised. The suspension of hostilities was to continue for one month. The conference would meet again on Thursday. The Earl of CARNARVON asked if there was any fur ther information ou the subject. Earl RUSSELL said the question was between the sus pension of arms and an armistice, and tile German Powers were ready to agree to an arrangement by which Jatland would be evacuated by the Germans, the Isle of Alsen being evacuated by Denmark; but the Danish Govern vernment preferred a simple suspension of aims, each power retaining its own position. The Earl of CARNARVON said under such circum stances he should of course postpone proceeding with his motion, but he could not refrain from remarking that Den mark by her extraordinary bravery had entitled herself to the sympathy of Europe. (Loud cries of "hear, hear.") The Earl of ELLENBOItor Gil asked if the noble earl could state the exact day upon which the suspension of arms was to commence. Earl RUSSELL replied on the 12th of the present month. pRIVATE BUSINESS. The Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead Gas Bill was read a second time. The Phoenix Gas, Wandsworth Bridge, North-Eastern R a il wa y (Micklefield Branch), Salisbury Railway and Market house. Llandloes and Newton Railway, Andover and Chilton Pond Road, and London Docks, Victoria Docks, and St. Katharine's Docks Amalgamation Bills were read a third time and passed. THE IVHITSUNTIDE RECESS. Earl GRAN VILE stated that at the rising of the house on Fridday next, he should move the adjournment of the house for the Whitsuntide holidays, until Monday the 23d. POLAND, Lord STRATHEDEN then moved that, in the opinion of this house, the correspondence of her Majesty's Govern ment with the Cabinet of Saint Petersburg on the Polish question has not as yet reached a satisfactory conclusion, and that the Czar, having failed to comply with the condi tions upon which, according to the Treaty of Vienna, he acquired his sovereignty in Poland, it was no longer bind ing upon the English Government to acknowledge it. Earl RUSSELL opposed the motion on the ground that instead of increasing it would tend to impair the authority of the house. The conditions of the Treaty of Vienna would not satisfy the Polish insurgents, who declared that they would rest contented with nothing short of the resto ration of their country to the position which it formerly held as a kingdom. The noble earl vindicated the course pursued by Ministers on the Polish question, and said they would have been justly blameworthy if they had involved this country in a war with Russia on behalf of Poland, At the same time he was strongly of opinion that if, at a period of tranquillity, the Emperor of Russia disregarded the conditions of the Treaty of Vienna, he could not con tinue to claim the right of sovereignty over Poland. Earl GREY concurred with Lord Stratheden in think ing that the correspondence had come to an unsatistaeory conclusion, and uttered an expression of regret that the Foreign Secretary, if he were not prepared to take up arms in defence of Poland, should have entered into a corre spondence which could lead to no useful result. His in terference, in fact, had only encouraged the Poles in a use less and hopeless resistance to overwhelming numbers, The motion was then withdrawn. The Customs and Inland Revenue Bill was read a second time, and the Naval and Victualling Stores Bill vias read a third time and passed. Other bins were also advanced a stage, and their lord ships adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS—Last Evenin, The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock. The following bills were read a third time and passed : Bolton Improvement—Brokers' Bonds and Rents—Clay ton, Allerton, and Thornton Gas—Commercial Docks and Grand Surrey Docks and Canal—Kilkenny Cathedral Economy Fund—Liverpool and London Fire and Life Insurance and Globe Insurance Companies—North British Railway (Perth Branch)—Sevenoaks, Maidstone, and Tun bridge Railway—and Sunaingdale and Cambridge Town. Railway. GRIEVANCES OF INDIAN OFFICERS. Captain JERVIS asked the Secretary of State for India when he would lay upon the table of the house the pro posed plan for redressing the grievances of the cfncers of the Indian army. Sir C. WOOD said there was necessarily delay in making a report on this subject, as there were several miaute de t.ilz to bo carefully considered. However, the moment the details were ready he would lay a report on the table of the house. COST OF EMBASSIES, &c. Mr. DODSON' asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when the returns relating to the cost of embassies, missions, and political _agencies for the year ending the Ist of March, 1863, in answer to the address of Ist June, would be presented. Mr LAYARD said the returns took a Long time in pre paration, but thsy were now ready, and would be laid on the, table is the course of the week. ENDOWED SCHOOLS, Mr. MIT FORD asked the Vice President of the Com.. mittee of Council on Education, if the minutes of May lath, 1863, and March 11th, 1861, on Endowed Schools, were to be withdrawn. Mr. BRUCE said that the Government was placed in rather an anomalous position in regard to those minutes, and was about to make a statement, but was interrupted by Lord J. MANNERS, who said that it would not be right if the right hon. gentleman proceeded with this line of observation at the present time. Mr. BRUCE said he would ask the hon. member (Mr. Mitford) to postpone his motion until the minutes were ready to be laid on the table, which would be on the 30th of June, by which time the G)vernment would be able to understand how the present system worked, when the discussion could be brought on with advantage. Mr. MITFORD—And the minutes ? Mr. BRUCE—Certainly aot. Mr. ADDEB,LEY expressocl a hope that Government would give him a for night's notice before the subject was brought forwar.l. Mr. DRIIt;E answered in the affirmative. HONG KONG ORDINANCES. Colonel SYKES asked the Attorney-General, to which of the Hong. Kong ordinances of January, 1855, " To en force neutrality during the contest now existing in China," his answer to the member for South Northumberland was intended to apply, that of the 15th January, 1855, or that of the 17th January, 1855, or to both. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that it referred to the earlier ordinance. ARMY PRIZES. Colonel NORTH asked the Under ecretary of State for War whether the Royal Commission upon Army Prize had made its report; and, if so, when it would be placed upon the table of the house ? Mr. PEEL said that the report had been received, and would be shortly laid on the table. THE CONFERENCE AND THE ARMISTICE. Mr. lIOPWOOD asked the Home Secretary whether the Government would state what course they intended to take with regard to Denmark before the house adjourned kr Whitsuntide. Sir G. GREY—The question put to me by the hon. gen tleman is very similar to that which was put the other day by the hon. member for North Warwickshire (Mr. Newde gate). I then stated that the Conference was sitting, that it was hoped the first result would be the establishment of an armistice, and that the Government would continue, in concert with other Powers, to take those steps which would be conducive to that end. I have now the satisfaction to inform the house that today the Conference have agreed upon an armistice for a month. (Cheers.) PUNISHMENT FOR VAGRANCY. Mr. HUNT drew attei;tiontOthecaseoiapoor woman and her two children, who had been sentenced to three weeks' imprisonment for having been found sleeping in a tent. He wished to know if the right hon. gentleman, the Secretary of State fur the Home Department, hal had his attention directed to the matter. Sir G. GREY replied in the negative, and said he would direct en inquiry into the subject. INSPECTORS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS, In reply to Sir J. PAKINGTON, 6ir G. GREY said the motion on this subject Would be brought on next Thursday. POLAND. Sir G. GrtEY said that if the hon. member (Slr. Hen nessy) would postpone his motion relative to Poland, h e guaranteed on the part of Government that an opportunity would be affirded of bringing it on on the 19rh inst. Mr. lIENNESSY consented to postpone his resolutions respecting Poland until the 19ih inst. THE ARAISTICE. Mr. D. GRIFFITH, who on rising was received with loud cheers from both sides of the house, said—l Deg leave, if suitable to the convenience of the Government, to ask the right hon. blronet whether he can communicate to us What the terms of the armistice are. (Laughter.) Sir G. GREY--I am unable to commuuicate the term= of the armistice at pre6 4 nt, but there will be no objection to communicate them I tan early period. DEFEAT OFTE E AUSTRIAN SQUADRON. Mr. B. ossorau wish to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Government have received inform atio' a of a collision in the North Sea, off Heligoland, bet wig an the Austrian and Danish ships of war, and also if they have received any information that the Austrians h z:ve got the worst of it. (Cheers and laughter.) Sir G. GREY —my right lion, friend the Secretary for I the Colonies me' dived a telegram about 4 o'clock this after noon trom Hel Agoland, stating that a naval engagement was going on bet' seen the Austrian squadron, consisting of two frigates an‘ l .4 three gunboats, and the Danish squadron, con sisting of two frigates and one corvette, six miles east of Heligo l and; and that the result would be communicated. Si•ace then we have received an additional telegram from t:ne governor, stating that the Danes won the action and defeated the Austrian squadron. (Immense cheering, which was renewed again and again from all parts of the house.) The telegram continued that one Austrian frigate was in flames, and that she and the other Austrian frigate and the gunboats were making the best of their way to Heligoland. (Renewed cheers.) CONDITIONS OF THE ARMISTICE. Mr. DISRAELI—I understand that the conditions of the armistice have been communicated to another assembly. It appears to me that matters are not well managed, or with due consideration to the House of Commons, if any other place is better informed upon a subject of so much interest and importance as an armistice, and that we should be in formed by the Government that they had no communica tion to make to us. I trust that in future wo shall be as soon informed as another place upon a matter of this im portance, and perhaps by this time the Government may have it in their power to communicate to us what are the conditions of the armistice. Sir G. GREY—I stated all the information I had my- self, which was what is strictly called a suspension of hosti lities, which is practically the same thing as an armistice, had been agreed upon far a month. That was all the in formation I had gathered at the time. My noble friend the Secretary for Foreign Affairs was at the Conference, and he sent that information to me. It was impossible for him at the moment to communicate me to me the terms of the armistice, and I only regret that I did not know them at the time—but, as I stated, there could be no difficulty in communicating them at a future time. I can assure the right hon. gentleman that I withheld no information. Mr. OSBORNE—Is the right hon. gentleman aware of them now ? Sir G. GREY—No, I am not. CHELSEA HOSPITAL, On the order for going into committee of supply, Colonel NORTH moved an address to the Queen praying her to relieve the officers of Chelsea hospital from the pay ment of rates and taxes charged upon them by a recent regulation for houses in that establishment occupied by them in the performance of their duties. The motion was opposed by Mr. F. PEEL, and upon a division was negatived by 181 to 102. The house then went into committee of supply on the army estimates, and the votes of £750,870 for works, build ings, and repairs, £173,883 for military education, £38,345 for surveys of the United Kingdom, £128,103 for miscel laneous services, and £223,334 for the administration of the army were agreed to, as were also votes amounting to £2,108,157 for non-effective services. The Under Secretaries Indemnity Bill was read a third third time and passed. The Pier and Harbour Orders Confirmation Bill was read a second time. The Naval Prize Acta Repeal Bill and the Naval Prize Bill wero read a third time and passed, The Admiralty Lands and Works Bill and the Joint stock Companies (Foreign Countries) Bill mere passed through committee. The Partnership Law Amendment Bill was considered in committee, Leave was given to introduce several bills ; and The house adjourned at one o'clock. THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA, (From the Times Correspondent.) NEW YORK, APRIL 2G. The most hopeful of optimists, though he were as easy to satisfy as Caneide, or to console as Micawber, might fail, if he were an observer of contemporary history and manners in the Federal North, to draw comfort from the present situation, whether social , political, or military. If he found limitless paper money, limitless debt, limitless extravagance, and limitless corruption, how could he hope for the sta bility of a Republican form of Government, of which the only possible basis is frugality, simplicity, and public virtue. If he found that, in the crisis of the most fearful war which ever afflicted the world, the men in supreme direction of affairs were far more interested in the prolongation or renewal of their own powers than in the conduct of their armies in the field, that they withdrew their confi• deuce from their best generals for fear that they should be successful, and so become dangerous—that each Minister thought and acted for himself with out reference to his colleagues or superiors—that the chief magistrate was afraid to act upon a hig: d principle, though sometimes compelled to avo ,- ; one, lest it should lead him into mischief or raise up enemies against him—how could he lope that good could come out of suc - i evil, or t } :at leaders such as these could lead the nation P. - a yho w but wrong ? If, continuing his survey, * no looked from the great cities to the camps, and found armies mainly com posed of mercenaries, officered by politicians, led by generats without experience, education or manners, and only respected by the rank and file it they displayed the qualities of the bulldog, and not those of the strategist—how could he expect that such armies could successfully compete with a foe their equal in numbers, and their superior in generalship, with the additional stimulus of fight ing for home and independence ? Where, under such circumstances, could a Northern Caudide find a pretext for thinking or saying that all was for the best, and how could Nlicawber deceive himself with the idea that anything except dis grace and disaster could by any possibility " turn up ?" The Governors of the five Western States of Wis consin, lowa, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan, with the view of permitting the President to reinforce the armies of Gen. Grant and Gen. Thomas with all the veteran troops now doing garrison duty in dis tricts remote from the scene of war, have jointly offered to raise 100,000 men, to serve for 100 days, to be clothed, armed, and equipped by the FeCeral Government. The President has accepted the offer, and Congress has been asked to vote 20,000,000 of greenbacks for the purpose. This new force is to garrison all the posts and forts on the frontier ; and, as there will be no fighting, the 100,000 militiamen, mostly belonging to the rowdy and adventurous class of the great towns, and not to the rural popu lation, required at this season of the year in other field work than that of war, will probably think it no particular hardship to leave their homes for awhile at the cost of the Government, and earn a holiday and a few of the bloodless laurels of patriotism by one and the same effort, Contrary to general expectition neither Lee nor Grant has yet made a move. The two commanders watch each other from opposite sites of the Rapidan, each too wary and vigilant to strike a premature blow. Meanwhile the fortune of war in other directions is wholly in favour of the Confederates. The surrender of Plymouth is a heavy blow to the North, and if it be followed, as many fear it will, by the capture of Newbern and the other cities and towns of North Carolina now held by Federal forces, it may disarrange ail the plans of General Grant for the advance upon Richmond, which was to have been made simultaneously from three separate directions, of which North Carolina was one. The failure of General Banks in Louisiana, though still represented as a victory by some of the silly newspapers of this city, looks more disastrous the more the circumstances are known. His intention was to march upon Shreveport, the State capital of Louisiana, where the Confederate Governor, Mr. Allen, holds court and authority, and where the Louisiana Legislature has assembled. He had not arrived half way towards that city when his ad vanced cavalry was set upon and routed with heavy loss, and after a succession of battles, which lasted a rapid n i g h t retreat with varying fortune f o r t h ree days, ho only s ave d hs entire to theforcep l f a r c o e m w h destruction ence he c a nae with a l oss of by men and material of which the Govern ment will not permit the exact amount to be known, and with a !ass of military character which ha will not be allowed to retrieve. General Banks is a candidate for the Presidency, and is therefore disliked by every mem ber of the Administration. It is alrea,ly urged that he ought to be removed from the command of the army of the Galt; that he is singularly unfortunate is a general ; that he knows nothing about military movements, and that he is toe old, to learn. " Off with his head, therefore, and so much for Banks," is the cry of the officials, re-echoed by the regular officcvs of the army, and ail the little military aris- tocracy known as " West Pointers," who are jealous of a man who was not educated es a soldier, and whom they look upon as a mere amateur and inter loper in the business that legitimately belongs to them. Most people admit that Banks is an honest man and a single-minded patriot ; but honesty and single-mindedness Etre not the weapons with which any one can attain or secure a command- ing position in this country, unless he use them as a merchant in the pursuit of fortune. All things considered, it is likely that the star of General Banks has culminated, and that the Presi- dential wire-pullers are rather glad than sorry of the opportunity af f orded by his defeat to deprive him of his command without at the same time pre senting him with a grievance or placing him before the country in the position of an ill-used man. Gen. Butler is also under a cloud. The West Pointers dislike him for the same reason that they dislike Gen. Banks; while the Administration, glad to make use of him as far as he can serve their pur- poses, do not desire by any means that he should use the position in which he is placed by their fa- your and countenance to strengthen his claims to the Presidency. It is no secret that Geo. Butler is discontented—that Gen. Grant has no confidence in his military or personal character, and that he is likely to be transferred from Fortress Monro to some other point, where he can play the Provost Marshal, without derangement of the military plans of his superiors —or if he persist in seeking a nomi • nation for the Presidency at the approaching Con- vention of the Republicans at Baltimore, that he will be consigned to private life, and to a political disgrace, of which Mr. Stanton is declared to hold, and to be determined to use, the documentary justi. fication. The unfavourable aspect of the military situation —the growing discontent of all classes at the ineffi ciency and ill luck of the Administration—the cer tainty that sooner or later a financial crash must come, and the reckless extravagance of the rich, - which causes an immense and continually increasing importation of European luxuries, all to be paid for in hard cash, have combined to raise the premium on gold to almost as high a point as that at which ii stood when Mr. Chase, 12 days ago, came into the market as a seller of his reserves. It then stood at 89 per cent. premium, and fell in a few days to 65. For the past week it has been continually on the rise, and yesterday reached es high as 851. Today, after a series of fluctuations, it settied at 811 at the close of business. Something of a sensation has been excited, not only in finar.cial but in wider circles, by the fierce onslaught just made upon Mr. Chase in Congress by General Blair, brother of the Postmaster-Ge neral, who, in defending himself against a charge of peculation levelled at him by ow) of his col leagues in the representation of Missouri, took oc- casion to accuse the Secretary of the Treasury of personal corruption in the management of the afilirs of his department. He also went the length of stating that Mr. Chase was not in favour of the prosecution of the war; that he desired the South should be let go in peace; and though he had ap parently withdrawn his pretensions to the Presi dential chair, he was still a candidate, and was playing off General Fremont against Mr. Lincoln, with the hope at the last moment of uniting in his own :person the party vote which neither of those gentlemen would secure. ittimellie.tely after the delivery of this speech, General Blair, who is a strong supporter of Mr. Lincoln, was appointed to the command of the 17th Army Corps, in the de partment of the Mississippi. The speech was his parting, a Parthi9.n shot in the House of Repre sentatives, before resigning his seat, and was aimed, not so much against his personal detractors, who accused him of making a profit on whiskey illicitly conveyed into the army, as against Mr. Chase, whom he suspected, rightfully or wrongfully, of being the instigator of the calumny. Both Houses of the Legislature of the wealthy and hitherto honourable State of New York have decided that they will pay the interest of the pe' ulic debt in greenbacks. They hold that e- -olio are legal tender ; that Congress !ape ., ' and that as they bear on the fe so ordained; : .e of them that they are receivable for all debt- public and private, ex cept Customs' Dutie-_ . and interest on the debt of the United Stco .es, they are clearly receivable 'oy the eredit e :.s of the State of New York. Anything more ma pudently dishonest than this it i s difficult . ;g a ine. A large portion, if not a majority, o f the persons who advanced their money to New York to enable it to construct its canals and public works are Englishmen, or other foreigners, not bound in law or equity to participate in the burdens imposed upon or assumed by Americans in the prosecution • of their civil war, and who have the rig,lt to insist upon payment of the interest in the coin current at the time the debt was contracted. To pay ICO dole. in greenbacks to the foreign creditor instead of 100 dols. in gold is simply to rob such creditor of 45 per cent. of his property, and is not only a first step, but a very large stride towards repudiation. Last year the Legislature, having some small remnant of shame or conscience, paid its foreign creditors in coin, as it was bound to do, but cheated its fellow citizens with depreciated paper. As these latter were accused of disloyalty, if not of treason, if they presumed to remonstrate, they submitted to the robbery with the best grace they could assume ; and if they made wry faces, said nothing. Embol dened by this partial success, the Legislature has this year completed the fraud, which it began in the last—both houses agreeing to the proposal, with a very significant and very shameful. unanimity. Governor Seymour, who it seems has no power to veto the measure, has done what he could under the circumstances to recall the members to a sense of honour, and transmitted a special message, urging the two houses to reconsider the matter as one of the highest moment to the welfare and character of the State. It remains to be seen whether next year—it is too late this, as the session has closed— they will have the good sense, and the decency, to retrace their steps, or whether, for the sake of a small temporary saving, they are willing to injure the credit of their State to all future time, and render it unable to borrow in the markets of the world, unless at such onerous rates as will cover the extra risk of repudiation. New York, however, does not stand alone in its dishonesty. The State of Ohio, which had a re serve in gold sufficient to discharge the interest of the debt due to its domestic and foreign creditors, had the meanness to sell at a high premium the gold which it held in reserve to meet its liabilities, to pay its creditors in greenbacks at par, and to pocket the difference. The repudiation of the State of Mississippi in bygone years was bad enough, but it was not so shabby as the semi-repudiation of these wealthy Northern States, which have not the justification of poverty, or the sorrier pretext of an alleged illegality in the contraction of the debt, to plead in extenuation of their conduct. After a prosperous existence of three weeks, the Great Sanitary Fair for the benefit of the wounded soldiers and of the widows and children of the slain, was brought to a close on Saturday evening. The total receipts were nearly 1,100,000 dols., inclusive of a sum of 44,9d3 dole. for a sword that was not worth 1,000 dols. In a lucky moment for the inte • rests of the fair, the givers and makers of this sword suggested that it should be presented, or, in American slang, " donated" to the Federal general to whom it should be voted by the visitors, and that any person should have the privilege of a vote on payment of a dollar. The names of a dozen gene. rals were speedily inscribed on the voting-book, but it became evident on the first day that the contest would lie between two ealy—Generals M'Clellan and Grani. Had it been stirulated that no person should have more than one vote, the sword would have been Gen. M'Clellan's ; but when it was agreed that any one might give a thousand votes on pay ment of a thousand dollars, or a hundred thousand, or any 1 Irger number on the same terms, the con becamestroebeoilfocsonotasnakeiiesmaozarfealajytmlohmajority. to,fooysaurno. Y iil e rotd i e n a h y C;i the l e d n a g y t over e o r f a pee m u t ee a y n n d u p m e e r .- yGvoeo e fnt t e2e u ,r: p 2,asl t aG o n7 w d, i erra t h t I.sviae a ah l ss f hai an dunt shutting realityn r o of f themajority his de cisive of the contest. Nevertheless it was deter mined by the heads of the Republican party, and by the contractors, who entertain for M'Clellan a hatred wh;ch grows in proportion to his popularity among all other classes, that he should not heve the sword. To effect this object a supplementary ballot was proposed ; and as it would have seemed un gracious in General 111‘Clellan's friends or in any one else to object to any scheme having a tendency to put aaditional money into the coffers of a charity, the voting was renewed. "The loyal men of New York," or somebody assuming that designation, paid in 2,097 dole., and recorded the same number of votes for General Grant. "A loyal New Englander" paid in 3,000 dole., the " loyal men of New York" a second 1,000 dole., and again the same person or persons, having perhaps as great an abundance of public plun der in their pockets as of animosity against INl‘Clellan in their hearts, paid in 10,000 dols., and recorded 10,000 votes for their favourite. By these means APClellan's friends were defeated, and the sword was awarded to Grant by a majority of 15,782. General M'Clelian has no reason to be dissatisfied with the result, though General Grant has much. It proves that Grant is not the popular favourite ; and that if he has rich friends,their numbers are not equal to their dollars. It suggests, at the same time, the suspicion that it was not private but public money which accomplished the end in view, and that the 10,000 " loyal men of New York" was but the pseudonym of some member of the Government who puts his hand into the Secret Service Fund to defeat, even in so unimportant a matter as this, a man who might be tolerated if he were not a Cana didate for the Presidency ; but who, being a candi date, and almost certain to succeed if General Grant be defeated in Virginia, is hated with a hate such as is only felt in moribund democracies only to be regenerated through a despotism. The World of the 25th publishes the following particulars of the engagement in North Carolina : Army of the Potomac, April 24. The Richmond Sentitiee of April 22 says the fallowing despatch has been received by General Bragg : " Plymouth, North Carolina, April 20. "To General Braxton Bragg,-1 have stormed and car ried this place, capturing one brigadier, 1,600 men, stores, and 25 pieces of artillery. " 11.. F. HOKE, Brigadier-General." A telegram was also received by the President from Col. John Taylor Wood, dated Rocky Mount, 21st inst., giving further particulars of the capture of Plymouth by the force under Gon. Hoke, with naval co-operation. He says that about 2,500 prisoners were taken (300 or 400 of them negroes), 30 pieces of artillery, 100,0001 b of meat, 1,000 barrels of flour, and a full garrison outfit. Our loss was about 300 in all. Colonel Merce was among the killed. Two gunboats were sunk, another disabled, and a small steamer captured. Fortress Monroe, April 22, The rebel ram at Plymouth, North Carolina, bas had the effect of not only doing great damage to our shipping there, but has precipitated movements materially. The news we received from there is conflicting, yet painful. The ram, of which so much has been said, and precaution taken to guard against, ran past Fort Gray on Monday night, after the moon had disappeared on the opposite bank of the Roa noke river, and thus eluded the vigilance of our gunboats. This rebel monster had no st cam on, bnt floated down with the current. After leaving the range of Fort Gray her en gines were sit in motion, and bow an, she pushed for our gunboats, and succeeded in sinking the gunboat Southfield --a ferryboat carrying a battery of six heavy guns. The Southfield and Miami, flagship of Captain LFlusser, were chained together to present a more formidable front to the ram, and to keep the other afloat in case one was disabled The ram shot past the Miami and bored ',her prow into the quarter of the Southfield with great force. The crunching of the saw-like prow of the rebel ram among the timber was fearful, and the °riflee created thereby was probably io t ( .. ? 12 feet. The b'outhfield sank in 10 minutes after being attacked." The General Press despatch, in reference to the same affair, is as follows : Newbern, April 20. Our troops have been fighting day and night since St-itt day. General Wessels, who has 60 days' provision, ex _ presses his determination to hold the enemy at bay u " the is relieved. He and his troops were in gor, spirits: " The enemy have made many assaults on desperate character, a nd h a v e works of the most each time. Every ho l ..,een repulsed with severe los s enemy's shells. - ..oe in Plymouth is riddled by the .. island. r , inhabitants havingteen sent to Roanoke th- „ten. Peck ordered reinforcements to Plymouth moment he received news of the attack. They have doubtless failed to reach that place, owing to the presence of the ram at the mouth of the Roanoke. This ram draws nine feet of water. Her hull is 15 inches out of water. She carries four guns, and is built much like the Merrimac. It is reported that she can make 7 knots, but this is doubted. The death of Capt. Flusser leaves Capt. French, an officer of tried courage, in command of the naval force. He is wao:htug the movements 01 the rare, and will give her all the annoyance in his power until assistance arrives. Gen. Picket is in command of the rebel force engaged at Ply mouth. There is quite a force at Kinston, which it is be lieved intends an attack on this point, in connection with their ram No, 2, now at Kinston. Further particulars, published on the 25th, by the New York Times, aro, as follow : The recent news from North Carolina is to the effect that Plymouth was doubtless taken by the largo force of rebels who first attacked it on Sunday evening, the 17th. They numbered 10,000 or 12,000, and were repulsed four times, with considerable slaughter. General Wessels commanded our garrison at Plymouth, of 2,000 men. It is supposed that they were obliged to surrender, but nothing is yet de finitely known. The report of the disasters by a rebel ram is corroborated in detail. Our navy has lost the gunboats Bombshell and Southfield. The latter was sunk by a rebel battery during the attack early on Monday morning when she went on a reconnoitering expedition a little way up the Rcanoke river to look out for the approach of the ram. During the evening of Monday the enemy assaulted Fort Wessell, and were repulsed three times, the Southfield throwing shell among them. About 10.30 p.m. the South field dropped down the river and reported to Lieut.-Com mander Fiusser, who ordered the vessels to be lashed together with hawsers, the Southfield being on the port side of the Miami. At midnight the Whitehead came down the Cachie and came alongside the Miami and reported the ram coming down. At 3 a.m. en Tuesday the ram dropped down along side the Miami, under cover of the shade of the trees, and when near ran obliquely across into the starboard bow of the Southfield. The vessels had been ii ring all the previous evening atthe enemy on shore, and were loaded with shell which there Was not time to draw. The lieutenant-com mander fired the first shell, and on its bursting, some frag ment either from that or the Southfield's shells rebounded, which caused death, the fragments piercing his chest and skull, also wounding the following officers and men :—Act ing Ensign Thomas a-. Hargis—Acting 3d Assistant-En gineer Harrington, and some six or eight men—none mor tally. Upon the approach of the ram the Southfield fired at her. The prow of the ram running into the Southfield caused her to fill with water, and she sunk inside of 15 miuntes. The forward lashings were parted by the pressure of the ram between our vessels, and the after ones were cut, and as many ad could get on the Miami did so, when the Miami retired, and was pursued a short distance by the ram, which was considered slow, making but lour knots per hour, the Miami throwing solid shot at her as she retired. Some of the men of the Southfield took to small boats, and were picked up by the Whitehead and Ceres. - The W o rld of the 25th has a lengthened account of the battle in Louisiana. The following are ex , tracts : On the morning of the Bth the cavalry advanced and discovered the rebels massed and occupying positions, from which a heavy fire was poured into our ranks. Our artillery was put inaction and the engagement was kept up until about noon, when Gen. Ransom's brigade came up. Gen. Banks also arrived on the field, and immediately sent for General Franklin's division, which w as so ne distance in the rear. About three o'clock the rebels commenced moving in heavy columns on the right, and heavy skirmishing was renewed. About four o' c l oc k the engagement was at it s height, and the rebels deployed to the left, which was then made the real point of attack. The enemy greatly out numbered us, and slowly pushed our lines back. General Franklin came up, but his division was yet in the rear, almost momentarily expected, Under these circumstances the troops fought bravely, b u t unsuccessfully, and finally gave way in confusion, leeing 20 guns, all the official papers of the Adjutant General, and leaving the dead and wounded on the field, Gen. Ransom while endeavouring to reinoVe the guns of the Fi rs t I n di ana b a ttery Was *omitted i n th e knee and narrowly escaped tapairc. This engagement took 'place at a place knoWn as Sabine's Cross-roads. The battle closed with nightfall, and our troops rested in the woods into which they had been driven by the enemy, he pursuing no further than the battle-field, where he buried our dead and removed the wounded to the rear at Mansfield. Four brigade commanders were killed and wettraled in this fight. Our defeat is attributable to the cavalry , division pushing too far in advassee of the maid column, and the panic and loss of guns to the large cavalry train which blocked up the road and rendered orderly retreat impossible. The estimated loss in this battle is 1,500, killed, wounded, and missing. At the close of the engagement a council of war was called by Gen. Banks, when it was decided to with draw the army to Pleasant-bill, which place General A. J. Smith had reached. The retrograde movement was at once commenced. While it was in progress the enemy pressed the pickets in, but failed to discover the movement, In ihe morning further concealment was impossible, and the rebels sent forward their cavalry, but failed to come up with our forces until they reached Pleasant-hill. Here r . ...Tn. Eory's division of Franklin's corps proved nviceable e in acti m ng as a rear guard and covering the rtt reat As soon as our forces h a d ge - of the Union army. hill and arrangements coo l' Inr .,a the shelter of Pleasant with the supports ...a be made for receiving the attack of Genets' ...itch had then arrived, a cavalry force gaged .6/ml 7 'a divi s i o n was sent out and en , tne advancing enemy. The rebels appearing, how- ever, in force, the cavalry fell back after brief skirmishing. The retrograde movement to Grand Ecore was necessary because of the exhausted condition in which our troops were left after the engagement. The advance had made a forced march, in retreat, from Sabine's Cross-roads, and Generals Smith's and Emory's divisions had been on the march for two days previous to going into battle, so that at the close of the fight at Pleasant-hill, a pursuit of the advantage gained would have been impracticable, and a prolonged re tention of the battle-field impolitic, when the comparative losses are considered and a calm view is taken of the whole field. From Sabine's Cross-roads to Grand Ecore there is not much of comfort to be gleaned until the battle of Plea sant-hill ; there was a series of defeats with heavy losses. The last day's engagement must be considered in the light of a drawn battle, for the sole advantage we acquired, pos session of the field, was speedily relinquished, and our forces continued a retreat, commenced two days previously, which was interrupted only by a successful check of the pursuit by the enemy. There is a probability that the operations of General Banks's column will be seriously delayed by the re sult of this movement. The army must wait at Grand Ecore in order to organise and refit. The river is under stood to be falling, and until it rises again the gunboats cannot successfully co-operate. Besides, the low stage of the water renders the passage of transports above Alexan dria exceedingly difficult, and therefore the supply for the army will be very slow. The river above Grand Ecore is infested with guerillas, who omit no opportunity to molest transports and even gunboats passing by the river. About a week ago the guerillas attacked two transports, when a gunboat coming up poured a volley of shot and shell into the enemy and drove him off, with the loss of the rebel General Green and a large number of killed and wounded. THE LOSS OF TEE CITY OF NEW YORK, OFFICIAL REPORT. COUNTY COURT -HOUSE, CORK, May 2. To the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade. My lords,— In obedience to your commands, I have held an official inquiry into the circumstances attending the loss of the steamship City of New York, which occurred at 2 40 on the morning of 29th March last, on Daunt's Rock, in the vicinity of Robert's Head, on the coast of County of Cork, a few miles south-west of this port. In this investi- gation I have been ably assisted by Captains Harris and Cow, as nautical assessors, and I have now the honour to forward my report. The City of New York was an iron ship, built at Glasgow in 1860, and classed at Lloyd's A 1 for 20 years. She was of the burthen of 2,360 tons gross, a screw vessel ) propelled by two engines of the combined horse power of 550, and had five water-tight bulkheads. Her length was 335 5-loft; breadth, 40 3-loft; and depth, 18 7- latc ; her extreme depth to the upper deck being 44 7-10 ft, The City of New York was owned by Mr William Inman, who represents the New York and Philadelphia Omar. Steamship Company, and appears to have been in all respects properly and abundantly equipped with boats and every requisite for the service upon which she was employed. Thus found and equipped, she sailed from New York on the 19th of March last, bound to Liverpool, touching, as usual, at the port of Cork, manned by a crew of 105, all told, a general cargo, and 164 passengers. The City of New York was commanded by Mr James Kennedy, who holds a certi.• ficate of competency as master, dated July 3, 1656, and pos sesses the very highest testimonials of his owner and others to his ability and skill as an able, experienced, and careful commander. After a rapid and prosperous voyage across the Atlantic, averaging 300 miles a day, the Fastnet Rock Light, on the coast of Ireland, was made on the 28th March, and at 1 35 a.m. of the 29th the ship was abreast of the Old Head of Kinsale, at about two miles distance from the light. From this position a coUrso was steered to pass tl.rough the inner channel, between Dauut's Rock and Roberta Head. 'Upon approaching the latter, Captain Kennedy had some misgiving as to the distance from the land, and being misled by its near appearance and the noise of the surf, Unfortunately ordered the ship to be kept off half a point. In four or five minutes his vessel (then going at the rate of 10 or 191 knots) struck upon Daunt's Rock. The buoy which denotes its vicinity was not discovered till a quarter of an hour after the ship struck. It is almost needless to say that everything was subsequently done to save life and property. All efforts failed, however, to save the ship, and at the expiration of days the vessel broke up and disappeattd. Such is the brief narration of the loss of this hetle ship, the details and circumstances attending "`: ) .,ich will be found more fully set forth in the evidence. It remains for me therefore to comment upon the facts, to see in what respect Captain Kennedy is to be held responsible for this disaster In reviewing the evidence, the first ques tion that suggests itself to my mind is this—was Captain Kennedy justified in taking this narrow channel at night, and at such great speed, when a perfectly safe channel was open for his adoption to the eastward of the buoy on Daunt's Rock? For this purpose I must here introduce a descrip tion of the channel as set forth in the Admiralty survey of the coast of Ireland. It states that the channel between Daunt's Rock and Robert's Head is three quarters of a mile in width, with deep water in it, and that Robert's Head is bold to approach. Daunt's Rock, which lies S.S.E, E., three quarters of a mile from Robert's Head, is marked Ly a black buoy placed S.S.E. E. from the pinnacles, or shoalest part of the rock, at a distance of one cable's length. As Daunt's Rock is thus between the buoy and Robert's Head, it would seem to indicate that, in the opinion of the surveyors, the ordinary track for vessels was outside, and to the eastward of the buoy, and that, however safe the inner channel may be by day, when certain marks which are mentioned may be available, their silence upon any leading marks by night leads me to the conclusion that it is a too hazardous passage to be then adopter'. In coming to this conclusion, I may mention that there are many circum stances that render this channel undesirable. First and foremost, in these days of competition by sea, there is no saving of distance; secondly, as in this case, there is the difficulty. however experienced a commander may be, in estimating the distance from the land from the deck of a large ship, and the contingency of atmospheric influences which also occurred in this case, preventing the buoy from being seen. Did I require any confirmation of this opinion, it would be found in the recent correspondence between Mr. Inman, the owner of the City of New York, and the Board of Trade. Capt. Kennedy, in that correspondence, expresses his belief that the facility of estimating the dis tance from Robert's Head renders this channel both easy and safe. It is a curious coincidence that this able and ex prienced commander should be the first victim of his over confidence, and a convincing proof that this channel ought not to be navigated at niAlat. It is no justification, to my mind, that Captain Kennedy or other commanders may have passed through this contracted channel before with impunity, and, apparently, for no advantage, as unques tionably at night the risk incurred does not compensate for any mere gain iu time. The public safety demands that no unnecessary risks be run, and that the passage through this narrow channel should be discoura ge d f or the present by night. Captain Kennedy, having, there fore, accepted the responsibility of navigating this narrow channel when he had an op en and p e rfectly safe one, with the advantage of the bearings of three lighthouses for his guidance, must be judged by the result of his own im prudence. Captain Kennedy under-estimated his distance from the land' an opinion concurred in by his chief officer, although he did not communicate that opinion to his commander —another convincing proof if any sere required, that when such experienced Weil ate deceived as to distance, this channel should not be attempted at night without a pilot or a greater amount of loc a l exper i ence . It is, therefore, my opinion, in which am confirmed by my assessors, that the City of New York was lost by the de fault of her theater, inasmuch sta, haying the choice of two channels, the one clear and open, with three lighthouses to direct him, the other narrow and contracted, without suffi cient marks, and with ohly the eye tb snide him at night, he preferred the latter, and thereby accepted the responsi bility and risk to his ship. Nor was he, in my opinion, justified in running a t suc h a hi g h ra t e o f s p ee d, without haying seen the buoy, he having at the time a dangerous sunken rock between him and the buoy. A misconception, therefore, of his distance from the land, and his proximity to the rock, resulted in the loss of his ship and imminent danger to human life. I have taken into consideration the good antecedents and high character of Captain Kennedy, and have not been disposed to pass so severe a sentence in his case as otherwise I might have been inclined to pro nounce. I have, therefore, allowed Captain Kennedy's hitherto successful career to have itti weight in apportion ing the sentence. But my duty to the public makes it in cumbent on me to mark my sense of Captain Kennedy's conduct in running an unnecessary risk, where human life and great property were at stake. I have, therefore, with the full concurrence of my assessors, sentenced Captain Kennedy to have his certificate as master suspended for eight montns, or to the 31st of December, 1864, Captain Kennedy's certificate is forwarded herewith.—l have, &a., aOttat LoUts CrtoratX, M.P. We concur in the above report, Hr. HARRIS, Nautical A.8E3438801'8. JOHN Cow, The Star of Tasmania, from New Zealand on Feb. 8, arrived off Plymouth yesterday, with 24 passengers, 1,900 bales Wool; and 20,000 (As. of gold. Anvhntts'AENT.). -Avoid medicines: they always aggra vate chronic complaints, but Du Barry's Delicious Health Restoring Re`,74 - lenta Arabica Food, which saves fifty times .03 cost in other remedies, invariably cures them, restoring perfect digestion, strong nerves, sound lungs, healthy liver, pure blood, refreshing sleep, functional regularity, and energy to the most disordered or enfeebled. We extract a few out of 60,000 Ctires :—Cure No. 58,216 of the Marchioness de Brehan, Paris, of a dver complaint, wasting away for seven years, debility, with a nervous palpitation all over, bad digestion, constant sleeplessness, the most intolerable nervous agitation, and dreadfully low spirited.—Cure No. 1,771. Lord Stuart de Decies, Lord Lieut. of Waterford, of many years' dyspepsia.—No. 49,832. "Fifty years' indescribable agony from dyspepsia, nervousness, asthma, cough, constipation, flatulency, spasms, sickness, and vomiting.—Maria Jolly." —Cure No. 46,270. Mr. James Roberts, of Frimley, Surrey, of thirty years' diseased lungs, spitting of blood, liver derange. ment, and partial deafness.—Cure No. 47,121. Miss Elizabeth Jacobs, of extreme nervousness, indigestion, gatherings, low spirits, and nervous fancies. —Cure No. 54,616. The Rev. Jas, T. Campbell, Fakenham, Norfolk, "of indigestion and torpi dity of the liver, which had resisted all medical treatment." In tins, 1 lb., 2s. 9d. ; 21b., 4s. 6d ; 51b., lls. ; 121 b., 225. ; 241 b 40s. —Barry Du Barry and Co., No. 77, Regent-street, London; also Fortnum and Mason ; and all Grocers and Chemists ig every town of the United Kingdom, SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. TIMES.—The 9th of May, 1864, will ever be re markable for the exact but fortuitous concurrence of two events having the most important bearings the one on the other. White the representatives of the belligerents and of the allied Powers were sitting in Conference with a view to the cessation of bloodshed on some terms or other, an Austrian and a Danish squadron were engaged in action several hundred miles off, neat the opposite shores of the German Ocean. Almost at the very hour that Denmark, declining an armistice which would give a greater sanction to the past than she chose to allow, was agreeing to a simple suspension of hostilities, an Austrian frigate was on the point of destruction, and its consorts were taking refuge in the British waters of Heligoland. Such a concurrence was possible at any time, for we have heard before of simultaneous victories by sea and by land I but that both events should net only happen together, but be simultane ously known in Downing-street, would have been impossible and incredible a very few years ago. The telegraphic wire brought the news of the one event acress the German Ocean as fast as messengers could bring the other to the office next door. When the Conference had agreed to a suspension of arms, they heard within an hour that they had been too late to stop a battle in which Denmark had re trieved, at the cost of one of her assailants, the re verses she had suffered at the hands of the other. It is scarcely possible for the most impartial or the most indifferent bystander not to rejoice at this opportune change in the hitherto sad tenonr of her fortunes. It has come not only as a substantial proof of her pruitess, but also as if to reward the moderation with which he has agreed to endure for a time the hostile occupation of her soil. There never was a time or an occasion in which the British people were not disposed to give their sympathy to, the weak. On that, if on no other ground, they would delight to see Denmark making up on her own element for indefensible earthworks and over whelmitag foes. But it was something more than this British instinct that prompted the enthusiastic cheers of the House of Commons when they heard the result of the action off Heligoland. Whatever may be the rights of this inscrutable question, they regard Austria and Prussia as aggressors, who without a legal footing in Den mark use their overwhelming numbers for evidently selfish purposes. The allied German Powers had agreed to recommend an armistice, involving, among other things, that Denmark should suspend her blockade of Baltic ports and should surrender to her invaders the island of Alsen, while they were also to withdraw their armies from Jutland. It was supposed that Denmark would readily give up a small island lying at the mercy of the foe, in order to save the Danish inhabitants of her mainland from .heir present humiliation and misusage. The Dines, however, preferred a mere suspension of arms, as being the simple continuance of a state of things in which it could not be pretended that they for a moment acquiesce. Being purely negative, it com mits them to nothing, and is not even a step to any consummation. That Prussian and Austrian armies occupy all Jutland is a deplorable fact, which the Danes have only recognised in the language of in dignant remonstrance. The abandonment of Alsen a day earlier than was expected by the exigencies of war would have looked like the abandonment of a just claim. That the Danes would agree to any species of armistice, and especially that they would suspend their blockade, was what the Conference rather hoped than expected. They knew that they had to confer, not with men before them, but with the telegraph wire, and the men at the other end of that wire, and they knew that in the case of Den mark the men at the other end of the wire were un der the influence of a turbulent and irrational de mocracy. Copenhagen, safe in an island, and with Sweden to flatter its vanity and foster its hopes, gives laws to the mainland, not so secure or so irre sponsible for its deeds. Would the Danish re presentatives even:make the smallest approxima tion towards a settlement ? It was feared not. However, reason has at last prevailed, and we have now the happiness of seeing a Conference for Peace which is not carried on paripassu with a sanguinary war. We trust the Danes will not be too much elated with their naval victory to take that part in the further proceedings of the Conference which facts may require. That victory we have no wish to disparage. It seems to have been fought against odds, and the Austrians could hardly be worse a rmed than the Danes themselves. It is probable that both sides had the old style of armament, but even were it otherwise, on the open sea the advan tages of the new ordnance might be counteracted by better manoeuvring and by close quarters. No such victory, however, would enable the Danes to make their blockade of the German ports effective. As the camel is the " ship of the desert," so the rail way is the ship of the Continent in these days, anti is fully competent to do all that ship has ever done. We trust, then, the Danes will bear their new honours meekly, and remember not only that they are but men, but that they are also not many, not rich, and somewhat behindhand in military affairs. if they keep that in mind, it may lead to a peaceful and even to an equitable settle ment of this long and disastrous controversy. The result of the suspension of arms is most pro pitious for our own affairs. It has reinstated a Government which every rumour tnreatened to shake from its seat. So long as England was com pelled to stand by and witness a slaughter which she utterly abominated, but had neither the autho rity to stop nor the wit to avert, no Ministry could hold itself safe from the indignation which, justly or unjustly, must find some object or other. Had the Conference broken up without an armistice, though by no fault of the Government, the Con servatives would have had a majority to back them in censuring the impotent friends of Denmark and the successful champions of public justice. "Nothing succeeds like success." All the labour and anxiety which have been expended in conciliating Danes and Germans, in smoothing difficulties and calming susceptibilities, however unreasonable, would have won for those who endured it no consideration in the House of Commons or in the country if it had failed to vanquish the obstinacy of one side or the rapacity of the other. It is the injustice which all public men are taught by experience to expect. Happily, on this occasion reason, and perhaps a better feeling on both sides, possibly, too, a fear of ulterior consequences, have come to the aid of the peacemakers ; the fighting is over for the present ; the Austrians and Prussians will retire to their quarters, and the Conservatives, who but yesterday were ready to storm the Treasury Bench, may make up their minds to an uneventful Session, and return es soon as they please to the pleasures of country life. pose.--The present eontlition of the cotton opera tives in England is described and discussed very minutely in the last report of Mr. Redgrave, the factory inspector in whose district the chief seats of the cotton manufacture are situated. It appears that from the beginning of the crisis to the end of last year very nearly three millions sterling were expended by the Guardians, the Central Relief Com mittee, and the Mansion House Committee, in maintaining those who suffered from the distress. To this must be added that of which an estimate cannot easily he made—the sums given by private charity unconnected with the public bodies, and the stores of clothing that have been distributed. This large amount of relief has been distributed at the smalleet per-tentage of cost, but at the expenditure of time and labour by the several committees and their of f icers, with an earnest devotedness which none can appreciate fully &wept those who have wit nessed their operations, and have a personal know ledge of the difficulties of their task. We are glad to learn that the reduction in the number of per sons in the receipt of relief, with which 1863 began continued throughout the greater part of the year; and in spite of a relapse during the autumn the re turns for the last week of December contrasted very favourably with those of the first week of the pre ceding January. Not only have the numbers of the operatives in full-time and in halftime employ ment increased, but their position in regard to the amount of their earnings has improved. Notwith standing this change for the better, the average rate of their wages is still very much below what it was before the war in North America. Several causes co-operated in reducing their earnings, besides the dirty condition and the shorter staple of the Surat cotton, which the mill-owners haste had to use so largely. It is now the practice to use cotton ""waste" largely with Surat, and this inciT ies of the 'rho threads, cult from their spinners and misiders • ere - ases the diffi shortness of fibre, are Mo ri.; • to break in the s, twisting of the drawing out of the mule and in se ( 3 • eentinuouslY yarti, rind the mule cannot be ke p t so e. sioa re in motion. Then, frota t he greater littera,_ quired in watching t he threads in weavin g , me el v weavers can mind only one loom, and very few can mind more than two. In these and in other ways the efficiency of their labour, and with it the amount of their earnings, is diminished. But some i improvements have been made or are making in the machinery employed ; the new materials are better understood, and the operatives are learning to handle them more easily, and are becoming better able to overcome the difficulties they have to con tend against. In estimating the real worth of their wages it is to be remembered that this depends chiefly on the•price of the main articles of food and on the nature and quantity of the food they re quire. Factory labour, it is ackowledged , requires a more generous diet than employments of a less skilled description, carried on in the open air or under cover in a moderate temperature. The comparatively high wages of the cotton opera tive in good times serve to pay for the food which is necessary to supply the great waste of the system that he has to sustain; and it is unjust to compare his present condition—. with ten or twelve shillings a week for him self and his family—with the agricultural labourer in the south, At the same time, it is undeniable that there was much " riotous living" among them when work was plentiful and wages were high, and the medical officers in the factory districts assign the discontinuance of those unfortunate habits in consequence of the distress as one of the causes of the decrease in sickness which they have observed among them. The greatly diminished price of bread and flour, and some other chief articles of food, dur.7 ing the past year, has been of inestimable benefit fd them, whether employed or unemployed, and the frequent change from the vitiated atmosphere of the mills to out-door life has not been without a very beneficial effect on their health. On the whole, the general health of the operatives exhibits a marked improvement. Infant mortality, especially, has diminished. The mothers are more at home, and less at the mill. There is less neglect of their off spring; they nurse them better, and have less in ducement to administer narcotics to keep them quiet. The state of the schools attended by factory workers in his district is a subject to which Mr. Redgrave devotes several pages of his report. He obtained specific information from fifty of the largest of them each attended on an average by three hundred chil dren. He states that the general results of his inquiry as to the number of attendants and the financial condition of the establishments are greatly in advance of what could have been expected. The number of children regularly attending these schools received a great increase in 1882, but a diminution of almost equal amount took place in the following year. The reduction in 1863 was caused chiefly by the withdrawal of relief in the shape of payment of school fees for the children of parents who obtained employment. "This," the inspector remarks, " however correct in principle, has had the effect of throwing upon the streets many chil dren whose parents have been really unable to pay the school fee, smell as it is, and it is really a sub ject of so much importance that it is to be hoped the Manchester Committee will reconsider their decision, and not allow the children to be thrown about, as they will be, upon idleness, and the bad habits engendered by want of occupation and proper control." The school attendance of the half-timers has improved, and this is to be attributed in a great measure to the effect of the educational provisions of the Factory Acts in past years. Many of the parents owe all the book-learning they have to the half-time system. They know this; they under stand the value of what they learnt, and they take care that their children should enjoy the same ad vantage. The sewing and industrial schools for adults that have been established during the cotton famine are evidently conferring great benefits upon the workpeople who attend them. The orderly discipline maintained in them, and the encourage• ment there given to the cultivation of neatness and good behaviour have a very civilising effect. The young women learn in them some les sons that they stand greatly in need of. In many of the schools, for instance, not one-third of them knew anything of sewing when they entered, they had no notion how to mend or patch their clothes, and when they first took a needle in their hand they pushed it through their work by pressing it upon the table, and this not because they were stupid but solely because they had never been taught, and had never seen anything of the kind before. In the adult schools for males it has been found impos. sible to have any employment so congenial to them as sewing and knitting to the females, but Mr. Red grave notices with approbation the attention of the men and the anxiety of so many to improve them selves, especially in arithmetic. "It sometimes caused a shade of melancho!y," he tells "to see an old grey-haired man leaning over his desk, and. poring over a sum in reduction or practice, but even this was relieved by being told by a frank spoken spinner in his own hearty manner, while showing his sketches of geography and what he was reading They could not give us work, and so God put it into their hearts to give its the next best to it.' " COUNTRY MARKETS. COLCHESTER-MAT 7. We had a limited show of wheat on offer at this market to-day, and late rates were in many instances is higher, with a firm business. Spring corn inactive, for want of supplies. Wheat, white 42s 46s Beans,Mazagan..2Bs 32s red 38s 42s middle & small.32s 36s Barley Oats . 2os 25s grey 34s 36a NORTHAMPTON-MAT 7. White wheat, new, 38s to 425; new red, 36s to 40s; old, 38s to 42s per qr. Barley, new malting, 33s to 35s— grinding. 25s to 306 per qr. Oats, 18s to 32s per 24 stone. Beans, 30s to 41e. Peas, 30s to 37s per qr. GLOUCESTER-MAT 7. There was a moderate supply of English wheat to-day from the farmers, which sold at the extreme rates of last week, and in some instances at Gd advance. Foreign wheat in bet ter demand, at former prices. Oats were firm, Beans and barley unaltered. CHELMSFORD.-MAY 6. At this corn exchange to-day there was a good show of wheat, which met a firmer trade. and last week's rates ad vanced is per qr. Spring corn dull, at late values. Wheat, old white 30s 45s Yeas, Partridgu.... 368 38s , new 43s 47s White 30s 34s ' old red....34s 37s Boiling ... 3Bs 42s new 36s 40s Dun 31s 35s Barley 25s 33s Ditto new -s —s Chevalier ..... .. 26s 36s Beans, Tick, old 34s 06s Grinding .... 20s 28s new —s —s Malt.... Chevalier . 64s 68s new..—s — 8 Oats 20s 26s Mazagan. .......26s 33a KIRKCALDY GRAIN—MAY 7. We had a good quantity of wheat and oats to-day, but small of barley. Prices the same as last week. Wheat. Barley. Oats. First....34s 6d I 27s Od l7s 6d Second ..36s 6d 28s Od 18 s Od Third.... 383 Od 30s Od 21s Od COAL .51., *Wee of Coal per Ton al dt.KET. the olose of the market. s. d. Holywell 17 NA, alker Primrose 13 0 Wylam 17 6 West Hartley 17 0 Eden Main 16 6 Walls End. o. d• Heugh Hall 17 6 East Hartlepool 18 0 South Kelloe . 17 6 Haswell ...18 0 Braddyll's Hetton 17 3 Tunstall South 'Tatou. •• • „.,,18 0 )t, 39 ; sold. 43. Walls End. Cassop l7 6 Ships at market foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton May 19. via Marseilles May 13. Brazil and Capo Verds, by British packet. June 5. Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena May 29. China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton. May 19. via Marseilles May.l3. Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via Southampton May 12. India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton May 19. via Marseilles May 13. India (Bombay), via Southampton May 12. via Marseilles May 21. P0rtuga1.......... Malta, Bgypt, and Aden, via Southampton May 12. via Marseilles May 13. Newfoundland ..May 11. Oporto and Vigo U. S. and British N. America, by Brit. packet.... May 11. by U.S. packet.... by Canadian packet. May 10. W.C. of Africa, Madeira, and Tenerilfe May 10. Bahamas, via New York June 2. Mexico May 30. All parts of 'West Indies, including Chili, Peru, I May 14. California. and British Columbia.. THE EITLOGIUM ON JOAN OF ARC, on the occasion of the 435th anniversary of the delivery of the town of Orleans by that heroine, will be delivered this year, on the Bth of May, by Mgr. Dupanloup, bishop of that see. Births. BRANFILL.--011 the 6th inst., at Peterstone Court, Brea con, the wife of Captain Branfill, of a son. DAWSON.-0a the 6th inst., at Leyden House, Roupell- P ark ) Streatham, Mrs. Joseph Dawson, of a son. HANDCOCI.—On the 7th inst., at 75, Stephen's-green, Dublin, the Hon, Mrs. Robert Handeock, of a daugh ter. LERMITTE.—On the 9th inst„ at Knightons, Finchley, the wife of James H. Lermitte, Esq., of a son. Marriages. CoODE—MELVILL—On the sth inst., at Saint Winnow Church, Cornwall, William Coode, Esq, son of Edward Coode, Esq., of Idoor Cottage, St. Austell, to Claudia Sophia, daughter of Philip Melvill, Esq., of Ethy, Lost • withiel. SPOONER—NEATE.—On the 7th inst., at All Saints', St. John's-wood, Henry Hodgkin Spooner, Esq., to Ellen, widow of the late Mr. Charles Neate, of St. John'S wood. Deaths. CLINTON.—On the 7th inst., at 35, Percy-street, Bedford square, John Clinto: l , Esq., agee, 55. CROWLEY.—On the 6th met., Abraham Crowley, Esq., of Alton, Hants, aged 63. LESTER.—Onthe 9th lust., at Blackheath, Charles Lester, Esq., aged 64. LAY.—On the sth fast., at Upper Claptou, Mr. William Lay, aged 55. MAYEL—On the Gth inst., at Greenhithe, William Mayer, Esq., aged 72. NAYLOR.—On the 7th inst , at Bognor, Lieut.-Col. Chas. Scarlin Naylor, aged 75. WINSTANLEY.—On the sth inst., at Brighton, John Winstanley, Esq., aged 56. London: Printzd and Prt , :felled by WILLIAAIANDREW S of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at 'I HE S UN Office Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, E. the coups, ot Miltileaex.—Tuesday, May 10, 1864. V